Following this up - the same book has a spathe defined as an "ensheathing bract" - isn't it this structure the allium books are referring to ? >>The term bract - or bracteole isn't used in his treatment of the alliums ! (But is, for instance, in the squills. Alliums have spathes or not in that reference as far as I can see.) John Crellin _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/